Why proofreading? Nick Jones

After graduating with a degree in English Literature in 1999, I left university with no clear idea of what I wanted to do. Like many recent graduates in Bristol at that time, I started temping in a call centre for BT. That sales job led to another sales job, and before I knew it I'd been working in sales for five years. My last role was as a field sales executive for a freight company - and I was rubbish at it! When my circumstances changed and I moved to Manchester in 2004, I decided that enough was enough, that I needed to do something that was more 'me'.

Proofreading had always been at the back of my mind as a possible career choice, mainly because I've always been good at spelling and enjoy reading and writing. I also loved the idea of working for myself (five years in sales does that to you). So when I moved up North I treated it as a fresh start and started to think seriously about proofreading. I'm not sure why it took me five years on the wrong career path to actually take the plunge; perhaps I just thought it would be too hard to break into. How wrong I was!

What experience did you have and why did you think you'd be suitable?

All I had initially was a degree in English Literature and a belief that I was good with words.

What training did you do before starting out and why did you choose that option?

I bought the excellent Freelance Proofreading and Copy-editing: A Guide by Trevor Horwood, which has a series of proofreading tests at the back. I did quite well in these tests so it gave me the confidence to pursue proofreading further. I then did a proofreading course online at freelance-proofreaders.co.uk. It was quite basic but it was all I needed at the time as I wasn't particularly interested in proofreading for publishers. I wanted to proofread for students and businesses, and I soon discovered that the vast majority of them don't care for qualifications - they just want you to do a good job.

My friend built me the Full Proof website in 2004 and I started getting proofreading work with local students very quickly. This experience enabled me to land a job at Yell in Manchester as an in-house proofreader, where I worked for the next five years.

What contacts did you have before you started out?

The only contact I had was a lady called Anita who used to run freelance-proofreaders.co.uk. She was very helpful and supportive. The only other contact of any influence was my friend Dave who very kindly built me the Full Proof website for free!

Who/what was your key target market when starting out and how did you hope to attract them?

Students. Once my website was ready I just started posting free ads on classified websites offering academic proofreading services. I did some SEO work on the site in my spare time, too. Once I'd started working full-time for Yell, however, I didn't have the time or need to really push Full Proof. It just ticked along in the background - pocket money, really - but I always asked my customers for testimonials, which I published on my website and on sites like FreeIndex. When the time came to leave Yell and work full-time as a freelancer, Full Proof's client base had snowballed rather nicely.

How have you built on those contacts/developed your business since then?

I didn't start actively looking for contacts until I left Yell in 2010. Social media was all the rage by that point, so I set up a Facebook page and Twitter account for Full Proof and invested some time and money in SEO and Google AdWords campaigns. And then there's FreeIndex, of course - the jewel in Full Proof's marketing crown! With more positive customer reviews than any other proofreading company on FreeIndex, prospective customers know that they're going to get a good service.
Testimonials are worth more than any qualification, in my opinion.

In terms of building on my contacts, I did make one very important contact during my time at Yell - Ben Corrigan, who now runs The Whole Proof. We became best mates at Yell and Ben is always my first point of contact when I have a PQ (proofreading question)!

I have also networked with other proofreaders via Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. I recommend befriending other proofreaders - it leads to valued friendships as well as numerous work opportunities.

You're not a member of the SfEP - do you feel you are missing out on anything as a result or are you a member of other groups or associations?

I was a member of the SfEP briefly years ago, but I put nothing into it and so I got nothing out of it. I had a full-time job as a proofreader so at the time I didn't feel the need to take their qualifications. I know of lots of proofreaders who are members and they love it. I'm a member of a few proofreading groups on LinkedIn, if that counts?

What, if any, negatives are there to being a freelance proofreader/editor?

For some people I imagine it could get a bit lonely sitting at a desk at home day in, day out. But I combat this by emailing or Skyping my friends and colleagues.

What are your top tips for someone looking to start out?

Always look to increase your skill set. The more strings you can add to your bow, the more secure your future will be, ultimately. Two natural progressions for a proofreader would be indexing and copywriting, for instance.

Join FreeIndex, FindaProofreader.com and any other free/inexpensive directory sites that provide you with a link to your site. They'll boost your own site's search engine rankings as well as offering you leads. (Disclaimer: I run FindaProofreader.com so I'm biased - other proofreading directories are also available!).

Use social media sites to network; don't just use them to promote yourself. You'll get more work if you befriend your competitors and you won't get as lonely working from home, either.